MISS Black Country paid a visit to a Dudley care home to show her support for Age UK's Big Chinwag campaign.The campaign aims to tackle loneliness in later life, so Jade Secker decided to spend time with people at Belvidere Residential Care Home on June 19.

Jade's trip was particularly poignant as the her grandfather, who suffered with dementia, was cared for at the Stourbridge Road home before he died.The 23-year-old from Wombourne, said: “It was a little difficult to be back at first without my grandad being in his usual chair, but it meant a lot for me to be able to go and spend time with some of the other residents who don’t get many visits.”Jade, who is currently preparing for the Miss England finals, added: “Loneliness is terrible thing and I don’t believe that it is something that should be experienced by anyone in a world like today.”To find out more about the campaign, visit www.ageuk.org.uk/bigchinwag.Read more here on Dudley News here

A BEAUTY queen from Kidderminster will be taking on a tough challenge to help her in her bid to become Miss England.Miss Worcestershire Chloe Palmer will be doing a triathlon that will see her horse riding, cycling and then running a distance of 33 miles, starting in her home town and ending at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on July 26.

Completing this challenge will help her in her battle to be crowned Miss England, the finals for which will be held on August 13 and 14 at the Ricoh.Chloe qualified for the Miss England competition after scooping the coveted Miss Worcestershire title in November last year, in her first ever beauty contest.As well as the triathlon, other aspects of the competition will include top model, talent and ‘beach beauty’ rounds.She is also busy preparing her Echo dress which has to be a James bond theme while her sponsor Adele Louise Bridal, from Wolverhampton, will supply her with an evening gown for the event.But the most important aspect for all entrants will be fundraising for the organisers’ worldwide charity ‘Beauty with a Purpose’, which supports disadvantaged children.Read more...